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Tesla
The "Tesla" is an electrically based handgun invented by and named after Nikola Tesla, as an alternative to bullets. Warehouse 13 Agents use this as a stunning device which simultaneously erases short-term memory. Also see the Tesla Rifle. Background Nikola Tesla was an inventor and an electrical engineer. With some help from the then-apprentice, H.G. Wells, he designed and created the Tesla gun for Warehouse 12. The gun has 9 power levels, each rising in increments of 0.5. The gun is seen as a sign of Warehouse agent (or ex-agent) activity. When Agents Myka Bering and Peter Lattimer discovered a desiccated body with a Tesla on it, Pete immediately declared the body as that of a Warehouse agent. However, when he and Myka were attacked by a masked thief at the Woodrow Wilson Museum of Peace, Pete merely commented on the fact that the thief had a Tesla, mentioning nothing about the possibility of the attacker being an agent. Originally, the Tesla possessed a limited power supply and required frequent recharging. However, Claudia Donovan upgraded the device and increased its effectiveness. How it Works The Tesla, affectionately referred to as a "polyphase ass-kicker," is an electroshock weapon that operates much like a modern taser, emitting a directed electrical charge in order to incapacitate a target. In addition to stunning the victim, the electric shock scrambles the synapses of the brain for a brief moment, which deletes several minutes' worth of immediate short-term memory. The stunning and short-term memory loss occur at a setting of two on the device. Highest settings of five are more dangerous and are known to turn people to ash. However, at very close range, settings as low as 1 or 2 can still be dangerous. When the electrical streams of two Teslas are aimed at each other, the resulting collision causes a shockwave strong enough to knock the wielders off their feet. Though typically effective in incapacitating targets, the Tesla's effects can be avoided; through unknown means, James MacPherson was able to avoid being affected by the Tesla's blast in "MacPherson (Episode)", and Paracelsus was able to absorb and redirect its energy via Genghis Khan's Mace in "All the Time in the World". Originally, Teslas could only fire several times between charges, depending on their setting. Once they ran out of power though, the Teslas would have to be returned to their carrying case, where they could be plugged in and recharged by some as-yet unexplained means. As mentioned above, Claudia discovered a means of creating a self-charging system for the Teslas, as well as miniaturizing the Tesla for better concealment. Claudia has also created a tesla grenade that she based off of the Tesla Guns original design. Claudia also created a tesla for Steve Jinks. The Warehouse has a 'Target Coil' (an original Tesla Coil) which agents can use for target practice with their Teslas without fear of damaging nearby electronics or Warehouse systems. Trivia * The Tesla Gun has been referred to as "ray gun" by those that aren't Warehouse 13 personnel on several occasions. * A Tesla used on the show was sold on eBay for over $3,000. Appearances Category:Warehouse equipment Category:Artifacts Category:Weapons Category:Electrical Artifacts